Wix vs Squarespace: Which website builder is right for your business?

When it comes to building both a stunning AND functional website that you can manage on your own, my go-to platforms are always Squarespace and Wix Studio. After years of designing websites for small businesses (and trying just about every tool out there), I firmly believe these two are the best.

But how do you pick between them? I originally wrote this blog post almost a year ago, but have come back to update it with even more thoughts after another year of working across the two. So whether you’re creating a personal brand, selling services, or scaling up your business, this post will guide you through the pros and cons of each so you can make the right choice for your needs.

Why choose Wix Studio for your business website?

What is Wix Studio?

Wix Studio is Wix's response to the need for a combination of a drag and drop editor (that's great for clients to manage long term), and advanced design capabilities tat enable professionals to have increased freedom with their website designs. Wix Editor (the 'original' Wix) still includes most of the same eCommerce, SEO, security, etc. features, but Wix Studio has much improved design options for those who know how to use it.

What businesses is Wix Studio best for?

Given the advanced design freedom that Wix Studio enables, I think Wix Studio is a dream for creative businesses that want truly innovative designs. If you're a photographer, designer, or artist looking to showcase your work, Wix Studio gives you the tools to create something that stands out.

It's also fantastic for professional businesses looking to scale, either now or in the future. Their booking system (in my opinion) is significantly better than the Squarespace equivalent, easily enabling features like members-only areas and seamlessly linking with Wix Payments. I've used Wix Bookings and Wix Payments combined to set up seamless booking experiences for many clients ranging from a yoga studio, to cooking classes, to a tour company based in Rome. And even better, Wix Studio makes it easy to integrate these functionalities now or later, without needing to rebuild your entire website.

What are the positives of Wix Studio?

One of my favourite things about Wix Studio is its design flexibility. You get separate responsive designs for desktop, mobile, and tablet (in comparison, Squarespace only offer custom designs for desktop and mobile). That means you can create a perfectly polished experience for users on every device. Typically, most sites do have less than 2% of all traffic on tablet, so this is the least important screen size to design for, but it does make a difference to you being truly responsive.

One of the lesser-talked-about perks of Wix Studio is its exceptional versatility for integrating multimedia. If your business relies on showcasing visuals (think photographers, media creation companies, or even fitness brands needing demonstration videos), Wix Studio’s media galleries and video hosting options are top-notch. You can customise how images and videos are displayed, add subtle animations for a more interactive feel, and even set up autoplay or looping videos on your homepage to captivate visitors immediately.

Another highlight is the built-in SEO tools that cater to users who might not be SEO experts. Wix Studio guides you through optimising each page with easy-to-follow prompts, so you can improve your site’s search rankings without the need for a dedicated SEO professional. This is especially useful for small businesses looking to grow their online visibility without investing heavily in external help. I personally find it significantly easier to optimise all pages and content for SEO in Wix than Squarespace, and if clients update anything on their Wix site in the future that isn't SEO compliant, the built in SEO AI assistant will alert you to that in your dashboard.

On Wix, when you create a new page section, you get 3 starting point options

Why choose Squarespace for your business website?

Now, onto Squarespace, the sleek and sophisticated choice for professional businesses.

What businesses is Squarespace best for?

If you’re selling an online course or hosting educational content, Squarespace is a no-brainer. It’s super simple to upload course materials and create a seamless experience for your audience. Pair that with Squarespace email campaigns, and you’ve got the perfect setup for building a loyal community.

Squarespace is also a great option for professional businesses that want a structured design. Their templates are gorgeous—they have a refined, bold, and strong look that gives off a polished, professional vibe. While it’s harder to achieve a soft, delicate design (Wix does that better), Squarespace excels at creating websites that feel solid and dependable.

I also do think that Squarespace is easier for clients to update and manage going forward than Wix. Now Wix still is easy, but if you don't need the extra bells and whistles it provides (think one-click animations, improved video hosting, complete design freedom with e.g. custom content widths), then I do often recommend my clients to stick with Squarespace. You can expand your site as your services grow, add new pages and easily copy designs and content between pages or add in suggested section templates without starting from scratch.

What are the positives of Squarespace?

Squarespace stands out for its exceptional support for creatives and minimalist brands. Its design tools are perfect for those who value simplicity without sacrificing elegance—ideal for businesses like consultants, lifestyle bloggers, and financial services.

Squarespace also offers stunning typography options that allow you to create a website that feels custom-designed, even if you’re sticking to one of their templates.

Another standout feature of Squarespace is its focus on all-in-one convenience. For example, its seamless integration with social media platforms lets you automatically pull in Instagram feeds or push blog updates directly to your Facebook page. This makes it easy to maintain a cohesive online presence without jumping between multiple tools. And if you’re running an international business, Squarespace supports multiple languages, giving you the ability to connect with a global audience effortlessly.

With Squarespace, when clicking to add a new page section you're pushed towards the option to pick from a template

What both Wix and Squarespace offer

Here’s the good news: you can’t go wrong with either platform! Both Wix Studio and Squarespace offer:

• Drag-and-drop builders for complete design freedom

• The option to add custom code for advanced features

• Responsive designs (though Wix wins with that tablet option)

• Tools to set up a blog, host a portfolio, sell products, and book services

• Tiered pricing plans to fit businesses of all sizes

And most importantly, both are easy to manage post-launch. With the right web designer (hi!), you’ll get training so you can update your site confidently and independently.

Why do I recommend Wix and Squarespace over other website builders?

Now, you might be wondering—why not WordPress, Elementor, or GoDaddy?

• WordPress/Elementor: While powerful, I’ve found that many clients struggle to manage their WordPress sites without ongoing help. Something as simple as updating a team page can turn into a nightmare, leaving you reliant on a designer for every little change. I've personally helped multiple clients transfer their site over from WordPress to Squarespace or Wix, and they've all been much happier on their new website builder.

• Shopify: Shopify is fantastic if your primary goal is to sell physical products and you’re running an eCommerce business. However, if you’re a service-based business or need a more flexible, multi-functional website, Shopify can be overkill. It’s also worth noting that Shopify’s design tools are less intuitive compared to Wix Studio and Squarespace, and you definitely need a website designer to get a site that looks custom.

• Showit: Showit is a popular choice for photographers and creatives because of its beautiful design flexibility. However, it doesn’t have easy to use, built-in eCommerce or advanced functionalities like memberships or bookings. If you’re looking for an all-in-one solution, Showit can feel limiting unless you’re pairing it with other tools.

• Weebly: Weebly is affordable and beginner-friendly but lacks the sophistication and design options that Wix Studio and Squarespace offer. It’s a decent option for very small businesses on a tight budget, but as your business grows, you’ll likely outgrow Weebly’s capabilities quickly. And in the long run you'll pay more to then migrate it over to a better option.

• GoDaddy: Honestly, I don’t think GoDaddy should even be in the website builder conversation. It’s easy to use but lacks functionality, making it nearly impossible to create a professional, highly functional site.

Wix Studio and Squarespace strike the perfect balance: easy for you to manage, packed with features, and designed to help your business shine.

Wix vs Squarespace: Which one should you choose?

Here’s my quick guide:

• Choose Wix Studio if:

  • You’re a creative business wanting bold, innovative designs.

  • You need advanced features like members-only areas or booking systems.

  • You’re planning for future growth and want maximum scalability.

• Choose Squarespace if:

  • You’re a professional business looking for a clean, structured design.

  • You’re selling courses or education content.

  • You want an all-in-one platform for blogging, email campaigns, and building a community.

Whichever you pick, both platforms are excellent tools for creating a website that grows with your business.

Decided which one you want to use, but need help building it in?

That’s what we're here for! Let’s work together and we can help design and build you a custom Squarespace or Wix website for your business. Get in touch now.